Abstract/Description

Parastic wasps, fungi and chickens may soon be used by farmers to control ticks. They may not completely replace acaricides, but they could play a significant role in reducing the need to dip or spray livestock. Scientists at the International...

Notes

Parastic wasps, fungi and chickens may soon be used by farmers to control ticks. They may not completely replace acaricides, but they could play a significant role in reducing the need to dip or spray livestock.
Scientists at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) have been investigating which organisms attack ticks naturally. It has been found that in some humid areas parasitic wasps will parasitise up to half the population of ticks.
A range of predators such as lizards, ants, rodents, spiders and birds can eat up to 40% of engorged ticks. And, in the laboratory, it has been shown that ticks can be successfully infected with fungi and that 70% of them may be killed.
The surprising finding is the role that poultry could play in reducing tick numbers. Studies have shown that engorged kicks generally drop from their hosts either late in the evening or early in the morning. It is argued, therefore, that if cattle are kept in their kraals at that fume, then chickens allowed access to kraals will pick up the engorged ticks.
ICIPE PO Box 30772 Nairobi, KENYA